1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to systems and methods providing bi-directional passage of an object in a processing path by using an articulated member.
2. Description of Related Art
The sensor flags used in conventional sheet media handling devices may degrade system performance in several ways. The system performance may be degraded, for example by tearing the sheet of media, by breaking flags when attempting to remove a sheet of media from a processing path, by impairing image quality by reducing the uniform application of heat and/or pressure to the sheets of media, or by increasing the risk of interfering with other existing components of the sheet media handling device. Further, conventional designs commonly comprise unitary, single piece flags that require an increased slot size in the associated structures of the sheet media handling device, such as the pressure plate and/or heating plates of conventional copying, printing or document scanning devices. In such media handling devices, the increased slot size may either reduce the uniformity of heat and pressure distribution to a sheet of media as it travels in a processing path or provide a catch point for a sheet edge. In either case, image quality is reduced and/or system performance is reduced.
This invention provides an articulated knee joint flag permitting bi-directional travel of media in a processing path.
This invention separately provides systems and methods that allow media jammed in a processing path to be removed with minimal or no damage.
This invention separately provides an articulated knee joint flag having a pivotable flag body component and a pivotable flag foot component fixed to the pivotable flag body.
This invention separately provides a flag body having a u-shaped notch permitting passage of light for detection by an interrupt type sensor.
This invention separately provides an articulated knee joint flag having a pivotable flag body.
This invention separately provides a finger portion along one of the flag body and the flag foot, the finger portion corresponding to a recess in the other of the flag body and the flag foot.
This invention separately provides the finger portion as a spring affixed to one of the flag body and the flag foot.
In various exemplary embodiments, an articulated knee joint flag according to this invention has a flag body pivotably connected to a device and a flag foot pivotably connected to a flag body. As the flag body rotates, a notch at an upper portion of the flag body changes position such that light, or other signals, no longer passes through the notch. The flag foot engages the flag body due to an object traveling in a processing path in one direction, rotates the flag body and notch accordingly and indicates a position of the object. As the flag foot is also able to readily rotate in the opposite direction, the object is able to be removed from the processing path without damaging the flag and/or the object.
These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention.